Probably front bedroom, but trying to forecast where the bed/wardrobes will be so it is super accessible. Alternatively, the hallway if I can avoid the beams.
1930s Semi Refurb - Part 4 of ... (Edition: Loft Insulation)
- Thread starter dlockers
- Start date
You may have reviewed this, but are you leaving a gap between the insulation and the loft boards? I understand you need a gap to avoid damp.Really struggling to find clarity on what to do with the sloping bits of the roof - to maintain what I guess is a required air gap?
This chap reckons 50mm Rockwool but that'd stop any ventilation (assuming it comes from the soffits?)
@Mason- doesn’t look like you have a gap? Did you get different advice?
I really want to increase my insulation but don’t want to raise my boards so I haven’t bothered.
Nah no gap between the insulation and boards. Don’t see how damp could be an issue there really, time will tell. If it were a living space I might care, but it’s just storage so I’m not worried. I have a drafty loft so there will be fresh air.
The 2400x600x22 were about 20KG each. Fine for moving by yourself (albeit cumbersome and hard to dodge pranging the paintwork) but definitely a 2 man job to get them through the hatch.
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I need to sort this too, I have a hipped roof too. In all the bedrooms the ceilings slope in. My plan was to replaster those rooms and when I do that, rip off the existing plaster and insulate. But I agree that is a ventilation space and if you stuff it with insulation it might cause problems.Really struggling to find clarity on what to do with the sloping bits of the roof - to maintain what I guess is a required air gap?
This chap reckons 50mm Rockwool but that'd stop any ventilation (assuming it comes from the soffits?)
In that scenario though you can alleviate it by felt lap vents and roof tile vents. Would need a fair few I suspect to get the same sort of airflow.
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I wasn't planning on a gap there but I will need to consider how I insulate the slopey bit whilst maintaining airflow.
I'm wondering if some PIR stuff down there with a noggin to keep it spaced will work. I could then put a full length soffit vent. Hmmm... Too cold and wet for all this messing with insulation and roofing.
Thinking about it more I’d probably leave the ventilation gap in the hip and insulate ‘inside the slope’ if you see what I mean. Don’t insulate in the gap between tiles and wall, but on the side of the wall in the room. Lose a little bit of the room space (tiny really, 50mm insulation + 12mm plasterboard?). But you keep the ventilation gap on the hip.
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Hmm yeah that might be a better idea actually. One room is the bathroom so less bothered, but the other room will be a bedroom. The roof loss won't be the end of the world either, and actually removes a complicated curvy part of the roof for future plastering/painting needs...
Pretty good thread on this sort of roof here. My roof is the same design, I'm just contemplating either the approach in the linked thread or insulating the sloped portion of ceiling in each room. Its lathe and plaster which I'm loath to remove to insulate under, I pulled one small section down and the mess was horrendous. PIR board and something like Gapotape looks like the easiest solution to slide down, dont think it would work with a Rockwool slab.
Had another peak earlier:
There is zero ventilation. I don't think the loft is vented anywhere other than a few bricks removed into next doors loft (lol, I can see their stuff).
Just a dead-end:
And some off cuts of lathe to deal with
Not sure what this means. Maybe 50mm PIR and wedge it close to the roof? Other bits of the loft have fibreglass stuff just wedged in there.
There is zero ventilation. I don't think the loft is vented anywhere other than a few bricks removed into next doors loft (lol, I can see their stuff).
Just a dead-end:
And some off cuts of lathe to deal with
Not sure what this means. Maybe 50mm PIR and wedge it close to the roof? Other bits of the loft have fibreglass stuff just wedged in there.
Man of Honour
I managed it.... But I'm probably somewhat stronger than the average person!
However yes it's far more sensible to get some help. I found the toughest bit was manoeuvring them whilst crouching in the tight loft space!
Do you have someone to help or are you relatively stocky? @dLockers
Man of Honour
Had another peak earlier:
There is zero ventilation. I don't think the loft is vented anywhere other than a few bricks removed into next doors loft (lol, I can see their stuff).
Just a dead-end:
And some off cuts of lathe to deal with
Not sure what this means. Maybe 50mm PIR and wedge it close to the roof? Other bits of the loft have fibreglass stuff just wedged in there.
I think going with mason's idea of insulation on the inside makes more sense. You do need some airflow in the loft regardless of warm/cold loft design.
Pics of diameter?I managed it.... But I'm probably somewhat stronger than the average person!
However yes it's far more sensible to get some help. I found the toughest bit was manoeuvring them whilst crouching in the tight loft space!
Do you have someone to help or are you relatively stocky? @dLockers
. I'm a brute force and ignorance lad so I'm sure I'll suss out a means to get them up there, so yes entirely solo on this job.Do you not reckon I can get away with 50mm PIR and leave 50mm gap to the rafters? There is no vents in the hip at all, maybe I'll add vents into the soffits.
Man of Honour
I had 5 of these to take up to the loft. Probably the same as what you've bought? They're just bulky rather than anything - I just "threw" them up to the loft and hoped it didn't land on anything fragile!
(I exaggerate a little).50mm gap is generally what is needed for airflow - so if you can leave a 50mm gap then you should be all good.
Yeah getting the insulation up is fine I also threw mine up . Just the boards are so cumbersome, mine barely fit through the opening and were hitting the rafters, so getting them up there solo would have been a pita. I just crouched in the loft, and the missus put them in position and I pulled them up.
. Just the boards are so cumbersome, mine barely fit through the opening and were hitting the rafters, so getting them up there solo would have been a pita. I just crouched in the loft, and the missus put them in position and I pulled them up.
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Yeah that's the stuff. Although I think I've got the 200mm stuff in the basket at the moment. I'm trying to work out the best value by m2 but it's like a GCSE maths problem as they're all different thicknesses and lengths lol.
I had 5 of these to take up to the loft. Probably the same as what you've bought? They're just bulky rather than anything - I just "threw" them up to the loft and hoped it didn't land on anything fragile!
50mm gap is generally what is needed for airflow - so if you can leave a 50mm gap then you should be all good.